  |
|
PARTNERS | HEALTHY CITY | HOW HEALTHY | VISION | SUMMIT | PRIORITIES | FUNCTIONS | CITY OF FALL RIVER |
|
With greatly reduced
funding, the City's
Shannon Grant will continue to
work to reduce gang violence in Fall River.. The impact the Sen.
Charles E. Shannon Community Safety Initiative has already had on reducing gang involvement and youth violence in the City through
cooperative work among agencies was emphasized to State
Representative Michael Rodrigues
and David Sullivan
on February 12, 2010 in testimonials given by grant-funded agencies and
by three of the youth who have been impacted by the project. Representatives
of the Fall River Police Department, United
Interfaith Action, Community Development Recreation,
the
Boys and Girls' Club, the Fall
River YMCA, YouthBuild,
and the Peaceful
Coalition each described the excellent working relationship that has
developed among the programs over the past three years. Pheaktra
Sambun, Carl Burnett and Christian Berrios then testified
about the impact that the program has had on their lives as the
Representatives and Mayor Flanagan listened and posed questions.
The Mass. Department of Public Health violence prevention funding was
also discussed. Following the meeting, the Representatives were given a tour of the
facility which now operates a Tuesday and Friday afternoon "Chill
Zone"
program for middle and high school students. For more information about
the project, contact Fall River Youth Services Director
Christian McCloskey at
508-324-2419. |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
(Top row, left) State Representative Michael Roderigues praises the success that agencies have had in working together as Representative David Sullivan and Mayor Will Flanagan listens (Top row, center) Shannon Grant local research partner Julie Finn of the Crime and Justice Institute listens as Peaceful Coalition student advisor Paul Leite talks about the groups expanded role in reaching middle and elementary school children. (Top row, right) Carl Burnett talks about the support he has received from the Boys and Girls' Club, CD-REC, and the YMCA in motivating him to succeed. (Middle row, left) United Interfaith Action organizer Scott Spencer takes notes as Lt. Paul Bernier describes the benefits of the program for the Fall River Police Department. (Middle row, center) CD-REC executive director Grace Gerling passes out a summary of CD-REC activities as program coordinator Jamison Souza describes their contribution to the project. (Middle row, right) YouthBuild director Terry Moran listens as Christian Berrios describes his early drug involvement while growing up and how Mr. Moran and others guided him to a better life. (Bottom row, left) Boys and Girls' Club executive director Peter McCarthy talks about the changes he has seen among some very tough youth through the program as Grace Gerling looks on. (Bottom row, center) YMCA director Frank Duffy listens as Peaceful Coalition advisor Tom Khoury restates the importance of continued funding for the Shannon grant programs. (Bottom row, right) Pheaktra Sambun concludes his testimony and turns to Fall River youth coordinator Christian McCloskey. |
||